Renal fibrosis in precision-cut kidney slices

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with renal fibrosis, a pathological process that is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins resulting in loss of organ architecture and function. Currently, renal transplantation and dialysis are the sole treatment options for advanced CKD, yet these therapies have limited impact on fibrogenesis. Even though antifibrotic therapies are being developed, the search for effective antifibrotic drugs is being hampered by the lack of appropriate cell and animal models to study renal fibrosis. In vitro models lack cellular heterogeneity whereas in vivo models do not fully reflect human pathology. Precision-cut tissue slices, prepared from human or rodent tissue, provide a unique ex vivo model system that captures the complexity of organs, and they are widely used for ADME/Tox drug testing. Moreover, precision-cut kidney slices (PCKS) have been recently established as a useful model to study renal fibrosis. This review summarizes the currently available models for renal fibrosis, describes the wide array of possibilities with PCKS and shows its role in the search for antifibrotic drugs.